Personal Support Worker - Part Time

Houselink and Mainstay Community Housing (Houselink/Mainstay) is Toronto’s largest non-profit supportive housing provider. Our organization is the result of a recent amalgamation between the former Houselink Community Homes and Mainstay Housing.

As a joined organization, we currently manage nearly 60 residential locations and more than 1,100 units across the City of Toronto, serving individuals with complex mental illness and addictions.

We work closely with sector partners to deliver programs and advocate for solutions that will address homelessness.

Our work is rooted in the understanding that housing is a human right and plays a vital role in health and wellbeing. We are proud to lead the affordable housing sector in building strong, inclusive communities where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

Personal Support Worker

Part-time Permanent
$41,199 annually, prorated for 21 hours weekly

Bargaining Unit Position

We are an essential service and the incumbent will be required to be at the office and in the community.  Personal protective equipment and COVID-19 protocols are in place as per Public Health guidelines.   HLMS has a mandatory vaccination policy.  All applicants selected for an interview will be required to provide proof they are fully vaccinated or have a medical exemption. 

Required Skills, Knowledge, and Ability

• Personal Support Worker Certification.
• Experience working with hoarding and clutter challenges.
• Experience working with homelessness, mental illness, and addictions.
• Knowledge of community resources.
• Demonstrated abilities in accurate and timely record keeping and file management.
• Commitment to anti-oppression and working in a recovery framework.
• Ability to interact effectively with tenants and staff and work as a team
• Capability to perform physical demands of the job including travel to various housing locations and practical assistance with daily living tasks.
• Ability to conduct work in a non-judgemental way, using Harm Reduction Experience/approach.
• Skilled and experienced in crisis response
• Ability to work in an organized manner and manage multiple priorities.
• Good verbal, listening, and written communication skills.
• Ability to work and communicate with staff and members from diverse backgrounds.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Establish a working relationship with each assigned person.
• Support clients to learn life skills to manage the upkeep of their homes.
• Performing all tasks delegated to them including but not limited to changing bed linens, laundry, doing dishes, moping, moving light furniture, meal prep/planning, and grocery shopping
• Provide guidance, encouragement, and assistance to maintain the apartment/unit in a safe and healthy state.
• Promote client independence
• Make referrals for longer-term PSW services and other services as needed.
• Perform light housekeeping duties.
• Using recovery principles, to provide service delivery to clients including informal counselling, health promotion, advocacy, knowledge sharing, research
• Conduct regular housekeeping check-ins and practical support.
• Work with individuals to assess and identify issues of hoarding and/or pest and/or excessive clutter in residents’ units.
• Work in individual apartments throughout the City of Toronto.
• Observe and identify the client’s cognitive, physical and mental conditions, and report any changes to the team and health care professional. Identifying and addressing mental health and addiction issues.
• Documentation: complete health assessments including care and discharge plans.
• Maintain clients’ files and health records, meeting minutes, and other administrative tasks.
• Assist in the identification and resolution of individual and community issues that could affect their housing.
• Work with clients to achieve a safe living environment including fire safety, security, and their apartment/unit health and safety concerns.
• Assisting with medication reminder
• Providing trauma-informed care
• Maintain the required health records for each client by entering regular documentation into Pirouette, OCANs, and other client management systems maintaining paper files and
• Experience with Yardi (property management financial system) or similar applications-

Organizational

• Work as a member of a team to provide support to members and cover duties when team members are away.
• Collaborate with other departments to promote a holistic approach to wellness across all departments of HLMS. Collaborate with other staff members to problem-solve as issues arise.
• HLMS encourages and supports staff to participate in and represent the organization at external committees and forums.
• Participate in internal committees and/or activities relating to the organization as required (e.g. environmental committee, diversity committee etc.).
• Attend team meetings and participate as chair and minute taker.
• Perform other duties as needed, assigned by the Manager or Director of Support Services

The rate is $41,199 annually, prorated for 21 hours weekly. This is a bargaining unit position; the rate is as per the collective agreement.

If you are interested and meet the requirements above, please include a cover letter with a current resume, by February 14, 2023.